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Eastern Tennessee residents are tapping into their heritage by opening moonshine distilleries, a trend that is helping to boost the state's economy. Many producers use local materials, including traditional Mason jar packing. "We have an incredibly rich history with making liquor, and a lot of it stems from the land and the geography. It's an important part of who we are," said Joe Baker, co-owner of Ole Smoky distillery in Gatlinburg.

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Moonshine from Tennessee's Ole Smoky Distillery is proving popular in suburban-Chicago restaurants, where bar managers have made the spirit a mainstay on menus.
"The humble packaging of the Mason jar helps people identify with a fresher fruit experience," says brand ambassador Shane McKnight. "It makes the cocktail a lot more approachable than scotch or a rye whiskey. It's just a lot more familiar. There's a little nostalgia."

Moonshine sales are on the rise as distillers such as Ole Smoky Distillery experiment with flavors, limited releases and spices. Moonshine sales make up only 0.5% percent of the overall whiskey market but volume has been added rapidly. "If there's any challenge to this whole thing, it's to educate people on what moonshine is and how to enjoy it," said Ole Smoky CEO John Cochran.

More than 80 years after Prohibition, New York is experiencing a boom in the opening of distilleries, including New York Distilling Co., Tirado Distillery, Cacao Prieto and Kings County Distillery. The newly established distilleries are crafting rum, bourbon and moonshine, among other spirits, while forging unique partnerships, creating new batches, providing pairing services and releasing books, this article says.

Kentucky liquor producer Brown-Forman will invest more than $35 million in the Woodford Reserve Distillery for an expansion operation that includes additional warehouses and stills, an improved bottling line and capacity upgrades.

Eastern Tennessee residents are tapping into their heritage by opening moonshine distilleries, a trend that is helping to boost the state's economy.
"I thought it would be cool if we could do something involving moonshine and tourism and share this heritage," says Joe Baker, co-owner of Ole Smoky distillery in Gatlinburg. "We have an incredibly rich history with making liquor, and a lot of it stems from the land and the geography. It's an important part of who we are."